Featured Mining Town: Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is one of the West's most historically significant mining cities, and the location of some of the Wild West's most notable events. Deadwood has seen extensive preservation of its historical buildings, and is a popular tourist center. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Smuggler, Colorado
The company town of Smuggler, Colorado was part of the Smuggler-Union mine, one of the Telluride district's top three mines. Smuggler was the site of more fatal accidents and violence than any mine in the district. Continue Reading
The Saga of the Perasich Murder – Darwin, California 1875
While researching historical newspapers for information on Panamint City, California, I stumbled upon a series of articles that detail the murder of a man named Perasich. Perasich, a business owner in Panamint Springs, California, was allegedly gunned down by Ashim in the nearby mining town of Darwin. The articles lay out a dramatic series of events following the crime; doubt as to Ashim's guilt, attempted revenge by Perasich's brothers, and a trial corrupted by both money and influence of the local outlaw gangs. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Granite, Montana
Granite, Montana was settled near the Granite Mountain silver mine, one of the richest in the world. The town would grow to have a population of around 3,000 people. Today, Granite is ghost town and not much is left. The few remaining structures are preserved as part of a state park. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona is among the West's greatest copper camps. This frontier metropolis is one of America's most historically significant and interesting towns, and has transitioned into a popular tourist destination, Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Red Mountain Town, Colorado
Red Mountain Town was the center of the second most important silver district in Colorado, yet it never achieved the greatness or permanence of camps in even lesser districts. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, was settled at the site of what was the single most valuable ore discovery in the West, the Comstock Lode. The city would quickly become one of the largest and most important in the western territories, and would prompt the federal government to rush Nevada into statehood. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Rhyolite, Nevada
Rhyolite, Nevada was the most dramatic example of the rise and fall of a mining boom town. In Just two years a city of up to 10,000 people rose out of the desert, only to be abandoned just a couple years later. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Ouray, Colorado
Ouray, Colorado is widely regarded as one of Americas most beautiful towns. Although the town was built by mining, it was the spectacular beauty of the area that gave Ouray long life as a tourist destination. Continue Reading
Featured Mining Town: Kingston, New Mexico
Kingston was founded in 1882 after a rich lode of silver ore was discovered by miner Jack Sheddon. At the height of its silver mining boom the population of Kingston topped 7,000, outstripping Albuquerque by at least 1,000 people. Continue Reading